Obesity: The Big Picture

News about weight and obesity, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

Chronology of Coverage

Oct. 20, 2014

A new randomized trial has found no long-term difference in weight regain among people who lost the pounds slowly and those who did so quickly. MORE

Sep. 9, 2014

Aner Tal study in journal JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that watching action films may cause viewers to consume more calories than other movie genres. MORE

Sep. 2, 2014

National Institutes of Health study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine finds that people who avoid carbohydrates and eat more fat have fewer cardiovascular risks than people who follow a low-fat diet and achieve better weight loss; landmark research produces more complex picture than previous dietary studies, lending credence to adherents of the Atkins diet and other low-carb methods. MORE

Aug. 12, 2014

Scientists have discovered small network of cells in mouse brain that turns appetite on and off; discovery may eventually lead to better understanding and treatment of eating disorders in humans. MORE

Jul. 28, 2014

Is weight loss truly greater (for the same time expended) when exercising at moderate levels (say, 60 percent of maximum capacity) versus more intense levels (85 percent of maximum capacity)? MORE

Jun. 23, 2014

Study finds only modest margin of success for pills developed by Gelesis that are intended to inhibit appetite by expanding in the digestive tract before meals; pill will be taken to larger trial, part of push by several pharmaceutical companies to develop novel nonsurgical solutions to weight loss. MORE

Jun. 18, 2014

Television host Dr Mehmet Oz offers to help 'drain the swamp' of unscrupulous marketers using his name to sell so-called miracle pills for weight loss; appearing before Senate’s consumer protection panel, he is scolded for his claims about weight-loss aids on The Dr Oz Show. MORE

Jun. 16, 2014

How do you feed two children in a family when one is overweight and one is underweight? MORE

Jun. 1, 2014

Natasha Singer Technophoria column cites new fat-zapping gizmo featured on the Rachel Ray Show as the latest example in a long line of dubious products that have been advertised over past century; examines viability of product, which was developed by LiLa Enterprises, and claims to eliminate subdermal fat with low-level laser diode panels. MORE

May. 27, 2014

Frank Bruni Op-Ed column criticizes growing industry of pills, products and plans that promise to make consumers thinner, noting that he himself has been duped; notes while fads come and go, the only proven method of losing weight is restrained eating and regular exercise. MORE

Mar. 28, 2014

Midlife weight gain is common in women, and science explains that hormonal changes may be to blame. MORE

Mar. 23, 2014

Op-Ed article by writer Joshua Max describes his life-long struggle with weight and bulimia; describes what lessons he would teach his child if the child ever worried about gaining weight. MORE

Mar. 9, 2014

Exhibit Body Conscious, at the Amelie A. Wallace Gallery at State University of New York College at Old Westbury, explores women's concerns about their size and weight (Metropolitan/Long Island). MORE

Feb. 9, 2014

Viewers of reality series The Biggest Loser express concern over startling weight loss of Rachel Frederickson, who lost 59.62 percent of her body weight, or 155 pounds, to win Season 15 of the show. MORE

Jan. 8, 2014

Federal Trade Commission charges Sensa Products, L'Occitane, HCG Diet Direct and LeanSpa with deceptively marketing weight-loss products; says companies made 'unfounded promises' that consumers could lose weight using their products; four will collectively pay $34 million to refund consumers. MORE

Jan. 5, 2014

App City column on CalCutter, app from New York City's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene that helps users find less caloric alternatives to their favorite recipes. MORE

Jan. 2, 2014

Australian fitness personality Michelle Bridges is seeking to become a household name in the United States as she launches her online weight-loss program 12 Week Body Transformation (12WBT) here; is hoping to gain a share of America's lucrative diet industry. MORE

Dec. 18, 2013

Nutrition scientist Richard Mattes of Purdue University has been exploring why people who eat nuts live longer, healthier lives and why nuts help with weight loss, despite the fact that most of the calories they provide come from fat. MORE

Nov. 27, 2013

A new study suggests a moderate daily exercise session can blunt the harmful effects of overeating and being inactive, which too many of us will be doing as the holidays approach. MORE

Sep. 15, 2013

Some celebrities hoping for quick trim-down before an awards show visit LA SlimWrap for shrink-wrap treatment; reporter Brooks Barnes shares his experience getting treatment. MORE

Sep. 6, 2013

Study published online in journal Science finds that gut bacteria may help determine if a person is fat or thin; reveals that mice exposed to gut bacteria of overweight humans become overweight, while those exposed to microbiomes of thin humans lose weight. MORE

Jul. 19, 2013

Study published in journal Science suggests that genetic mutation may explain why some people can eat the same amount as others but gain more weight. MORE

Jul. 1, 2013

Studies suggest that youngsters may be most likely to pack on pounds when they are home for summer vacation. MORE

May. 30, 2013

Losing weight may help to allay the red, scaly skin patches of psoriasis, a new study shows. MORE

May. 27, 2013

Research shows that most women neither enjoy nor admire the body-denigrating bonding ritual known as “fat talk.” But that doesn’t stop them from engaging in it. MORE

May. 13, 2013

Shopping for groceries on an empty stomach does in fact influence food choices, a new study shows. MORE

Apr. 9, 2013

Samoa Air has started to charge its passengers according to what they weigh, a policy that some experts doubt will catch on among American carriers. MORE

Apr. 9, 2013

Joe Sharkey On the Road column observes that weight concerns airlines, mainly those with small planes like Samoa Air, which is charging fares based on passenger’s weight; notes that other airlines are cutting weight, too, which saves on fuel costs. MORE

Mar. 28, 2013

Separate studies in journals Science Translational Medicine and the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism suggest that bacterial makeup of intestines may help determine whether people gain weight or lose it; research also suggests that gastric bypass surgery, which aids in weight loss by shrinking stomach and rearranging intestines, may work in part by shifting balance of bacteria in digestive tract. MORE

Mar. 20, 2013

New York City politicians who face months of campaigning will have daunting task of keeping off pounds, as many campaign events are generously catered. MORE

Mar. 17, 2013

Notion that concerns about weight cross religious borders has led to Muslim-Jewish dieting support group in Brookline, Mass, that also aims to foster tolerance and understanding; group Slim Peace brings Israeli and Palestinian women together for lessons and activities around healthy eating and self-esteem. MORE

Mar. 17, 2013

Many high-powered New Yorkers seeking to lose weight are willing to pay high-priced nutritionist Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of The Miracle Carb Diet: Make Calories & Fat Disappear -- With Fiber, for her diet advice. MORE

Mar. 10, 2013

Adam Davidson It's the Economy column describes using game theory that economists applied during the cold war in his effort to lose weight. MORE

Mar. 3, 2013

British are embracing weight-loss plan promoted in best-selling diet book The Fast Diet, written by Michael Mosley and Mimi Spencer, advocating five days of eating and drinking anything and then fasting for two days a week. MORE

Feb. 9, 2013

Feb. 7, 2013

Fashion reporter Eric Wilson offers detailed chart of every calorie he consumed, and every pound he lost, covering nonstop runway shows in September 2012 New York Fashion Week. MORE

Jan. 29, 2013

Study in The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology suggests that erectile dysfunction drug Viagra may help burn excess fat by converting undesirable white fat cells to energy-burning beige fat cells. MORE

Jan. 2, 2013

Report on nearly three million people published in The Journal of American Medical Association finds that those whose body mass index ranked them as overweight had less risk of dying than people of normal weight; experts say that although research suggests that overweight people need not panic about their mortality, becoming more than slightly obese remains dangerous. MORE

Dec. 28, 2012

Dec. 27, 2012

Control plates, produced by Slim & Sage, are designed with subtle portion-dividing pattern and smaller size for regulating diet. MORE

Dec. 27, 2012

Several devices and applications designed to help users track their calorie intake and output are on the market, and some are better than others. MORE

Dec. 20, 2012

Andrew Adam Newman Advertising column highlights ad campaign for weight loss company Medifast, which is shunning celebrity endorsements and using real people who shed pounds with its weight-loss system in emotional before-and-after commercials. MORE

Nov. 13, 2012

Science Q & A on whether one's weight is a factor in medication dosage. MORE

Nov. 8, 2012

Increasing number of plus-size women, hungry for fashion but ignored by designers, are starting blogs to share style tips and offer advice on how to dress well. MORE

Nov. 8, 2012

Many downtown New Yorkers, who were snacking anxiously on high-fat food during Hurricane Sandy, discover they have gained some extra weight. MORE

Oct. 14, 2012

Women in entertainment are obsessing less about their weight and setting their own standards of beauty; self-acceptance has become a new form of defiance on television, especially among a new breed of younger female comedians who are looking for a fresh twist in a landscape where profanity, obscenity and intolerance have little comic shock value left. MORE

Sep. 23, 2012

Op-Ed article by Dean Ornish, a clinical professor of medicine, warns that diets that help one get thin do not necessarily help one live longer; contends that research has shown that the best diet is low in unhealthful carbs and low in fat, red meat and processed foods. MORE

Aug. 22, 2012

There are several theories about why men tend to gain weight after becoming fathers; suggestions given for how to stay healthy while eating with children. MORE

Jul. 22, 2012

Abby Ellin Field Notes column asserts that men are now also feeling the pressure to lose weight for their wedding day. MORE

{"type":"article","show_header_text":false,"header":"ARTICLES ABOUT WEIGHT","query":"(nytddes = \"Weight\" or des=\"Obesity\")","search_query":"(nytddes:\"Weight\" OR subject:\"Obesity\")","num_search_articles":"10","show_summary":true,"show_byline":true,"show_pub_date":true,"hide_thumbnails":false,"show_kicker":false,"show_title":false,"show_related_topics":true,"show_rad_links":true,"show_subtopics":true,"exclude_topics":"WEIGHT","exclude":["","","","","","","","","","",""],"more_on_header":"MORE ON WEIGHT AND:","alternate_index_subidx":"","show_thumbnails":true}

January 1, 2015, Thursday

Multimedia

Scientists are using monkeys, primarily rhesus macaques, to study the twin epidemics of obesity and diabetes. The animals eat high-fat diets and lead sedentary lives. As one researcher says, “We are trying to induce the couch potato style.”